Tutorial: How to make a teacup candle

I recently shared on the blog that the last time I visited my great aunt she gave me a beautiful teacup and saucer. I also had another single set that I'd picked up at a car boot sale last year some time. Both of these were so pretty but weren't very practical so I decided to turn them into teacup candles! Teacup candles seem to be everywhere at the moment - so I thought I would share how I made mine.



You will need:

Wax (you can either buy wax from somewhere like hobbycraft or melt down some existing candles/tealights)
Teacup and saucer (which you can pick up cheap from car boots/charity shops)
Wick (craft shops are your best bet)
Tealight candle (for the metal bit that holds the wick and the wax)
Two saucepans that fit inside each other
A spoon
A pencil
Blu tack
Pliers

Optional:
Dye (if you want to make coloured candles)
Scent/essential oils (if you want to make them smell pretty)



Step 1
Take the metal container off your tealight candle



Step 2
Remove the wick and the metal wick holder from the candle (it probably has a fancy name but I don't know what it is so I'm calling it "metal wick holder"



Step 3
Pull out the existing wick. I used a sharp instrument and some pliers to help me do this.



Step 4
Thread your new wick through the metal wick holder.



Step 5
Put a small piece of blutack on the bottom of the metal wick holder.



Step 6
Stick the metal wick holder to the bottom of your teacup. This will hold the wick in place.



Step 7
Place a pencil across the top of the teacup and tie the wick around it. I would recommend blutacking the wick to the pencil in the centre and at either side of the teacup. This will ensure it stays put!



Step 8
Next you need to weigh out your wax. I measured out 170g which was roughly around the right amount for both the teacups I used.



Step 9
Melt the wax over a pan of boiling water (just like you would for melting chocolate).





Step 10
When the wax is completely melted (it will have the consistency of water!) add  the dye - if you want to make coloured candles.



Step 11
Take the wax off the heat and leave to cool for a couple of minutes. If you want to add a scent to your candle this is the time to add it. Just a few drops of essential oil is enough.



Step 12
Carefully pour the wax into your teacup.



Be careful not to overfill the teacup - fill it as much as you would if you were making a cup of tea!

I did one red and one purple!

Step 13

Your teacup candle will start to set quite quickly. If you want it to be completely flat you'll need to add a bit more wax once it's started to sink into the middle. 

Step 14
Leave your candle to set for 24 hours. Once it's set - melt a small amount of wax (I used a tealight candle) onto your new wick to stop it from burning.

Your teacup candle is complete!



If you want to create a shiny effect - you can use a pair of nylon tights - just giving it a light rub all over.



I'm really happy how these turned out. What do you think? Will you be giving it a go? Do you have a better method on how to make teacup candles?